Internship Grants

Now in its 13th year of operation, the Aurora Internship Program has contributed to capacity building for Indigenous and Indigenous-sector organisations by placing over 2,000 talented and passionate interns. An agreement has been reached with the Commonwealth to extend the Program through to the end of February 2019.

The Program continues to place students and graduates with backgrounds in law (including some business), anthropology, some social sciences (including archaeology, community development, cultural heritage, environmental management, education, history, human geography, Indigenous studies, media/communications and sociology) as well as health science and social welfare (including social work and psychology) and at Indigenous sector organisations involved in native title, land rights, justice, policy and community development, health, social welfare and research, Australia wide.

We will be focusing more on supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and graduates via funded internships as pathways to jobs in Indigenous organisations and other organisations working in the Indigenous sector. The Commonwealth will provide financial support via scholarships for Indigenous interns under the Program. To date the Program has had only small numbers of Indigenous candidates due to us being unable to offer financial support.

The Program places Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous students and graduates (including mature aged) in full-time unpaid 4 to 6 week internships, at over 140 organisations Australia-wide, all with an Indigenous focus, working in the area of:

Native title

Land rights

Policy development

Advocacy

Justice

Health and Social welfare

Human rights

Community development

Environmental policy.

The Program offers candidates an opportunity to gain professional work experience and improve career opportunities available at native title and other Indigenous sector organisations. It is aimed at candidates who are seeking work experience and have a keen interest in the sector. An internship is a great way to gain exposure into the professional work environment and develop workplace skills. Placements are available in all major cities and some remote/regional areas of Australia.

The Program not only provides much needed assistance to under-resourced Host organisations but also promotes career opportunities by raising awareness of the native title system and the broader Indigenous sector, attracting students and graduates to work in the sector. The quality of the interns is demonstrated by the eagerness of Aurora Hosts to retain alumni of the Program on a longer-term basis.